This is what happens...

...when all your cousins are GIRLS. And your little brother doesn't have much interest in playing with you.I don't know who had more fun: Leilani, who got to play hairstylist, or Diego who got to wear clips all over his head.

Either way, it was very serious business.
At least they were efficient. Here are Isabella, Diego, and Leilani, in their assembly line of beauty.

At one point, Diego held up a ponytail holder and asked Leilani if she could put it in his hair. Leilani said, "No, Diego! Those are for girls." Apparently the clips are gender neutral.

Sofi's Birthday Party!

We went to my little cousin Sofi's 2nd birthday party about 2 weeks ago. It was at Gymboree, and my boys had a blast. The theme was Little Einstein's which is one of Diego's favorites, so he thought it was pretty cool. We had a 2 hour drive to get there, and he told us he needed to go pee pee twice, so we stopped on the side of the road and let him go. He thought peeing standing up was pretty awesome, so now, whenever we're in the car, he tells me like every 5 minutes, "Uh-oh, need to go pee pee." About 95% of the time, it's a lie.

Alright, here's some pictures.

The cute birthday girl.

Blowing out the candles on the Little Einstein cake. "I cannot believe it."

Cousin Gabriela. She's so adorable.

Diego was attached at the hip to Tata as usual.

This is a classic Marcelito face. He always wrinkles his nose like that, and loves to bang on things. And this is his charmer face.
Forget all the fun toys, I just want to bang on the glass.

Notice the lack of Diego pictures. He was way too busy playing to stay still long enough for a good picture.

Lina Daniella is here!

My cousin had her baby! She's sooooo cute! My poor cousin had a pretty bad birth experience...okay, let's just say it, it was horrible. But look what she has to show for it!!
Again, I say, she's sooo cute!

So here's the story as I've understood it. Andrea got to the hospital at 6am to be induced. Due to other mommies going into labor and having to be attended first, she didn't actually go in to get induced until about noon. They broke her water, and when that didn't result in enough contractions, she was put on pitocin (around 1pm). She dealt with contractions every 3 minutes until about 5pm, when the blessed anestesiologist gave her an epidural. She was 4cm at this point. She got a break from all the fun contractions until about 8:30pm when she started feeling them again. She asked for more epidural, but they said, nope, sorry, you're 10cm. At 9pm she started pushing. She pushed and pushed until she tore. And then they made her push some more. At 10:45pm, they said, sorry, c-section. At 11:10pm, Lina was born via c-section.

So my poor cousin got the worst of both worlds. She's doing much better now. Both Mommy and Baby are doing great! Nursing is going really well, thank goodness. The last thing she needs after her difficult experience is a tough time nursing! They'll probably be home from the hospital today. I totally want to go hold Lina, but I'll have to contain myself until at least Thursday. (That's when I'm bringing her dinner.)

For more pictures, go here.

Hoo-ah!

Here are a few pics of the Texas trip.

Family Reunion - All of us at the picnic for the soldiers' families. David wearing Sergio's gear. "Grenade!" Me wearing Sergio's gear (for about 5 seconds before someone had to help me because I was going to crumble) Sergio next to his bunk. It's Lieutenant Tesho Forez!!
I got to talk to Sergio on the phone today. It's sooooo sad to say goodbye to him for so long. I didn't think it would hit me as hard as it has. I'm used to living far away from him. But still...I'm worried about my little lieutenant in "the desert". Hmmmmm, what should I pack in his first care package?

Bye Bye Tio Say-oh

This week was quite eventful.

On Tuesday, I woke my children up at 4am to go to the airport to catch a flight to Texas to see my army bro. We got to the airport early, but thanks to some retarded Southwest Airlines employees, we missed our flight. So I got to spend the next 5 hours in an airport with my parents and my kids, because we were told we'd be able to get on the next flight. When it came time to board that flight, we were told that the flight was overbooked and we would not be able to fly. Do you know what it's like to be in an airport for a total of 7 hours with a 2 year old and an 8 month old who recently discovered he could scream? It's not fun. So my mom complained and we got vouchers. Marcelo and I will now be taking a free flight to the destination of our choice some time in the next year. With no children.

On Wednesday, we went back to the airport and got on a flight to Austin, Texas. My kids did really really, surprisingly well. I had two backpacks FULL of stuff for Diego to do and eat. He colored, played with playdough, watched a dvd....and by that I really mean "watched", with no listening involved, because he didn't like wearing headphones. When he got bored of all the stuff I brought for him, I loaded him with fruit roll ups and gummy snacks. The only bad part of the whole flight was during the descent, because Diego's ears started hurting and he started crying, loudly, for about 5 minutes straight. I felt really bad for the people around us, but I couldn't calm him down. The other not so fun part was changing 2 kids' diapers on a blanket on the floor in the back of the plane. The flight attendants were really nice and were like, "Oh just change them here" so I wouldn't have to try to squish into the tiny bathroom.

When we got to Texas, we picked up poor David, who had already spent hours sitting in the hotel lobby because he did NOT miss his Tuesday flight. We all went to see Justin and Betony Conte, and met their kids. It was kind of weird, because my mom used to want me to marry Justin, and she used to tell him so. But neither one of us ever had a thing for each other, so at least there wasn't that awkwardness. It was really cool to see him all settled down with his family. We both have two boys!

Anyway, we saw Sergio and Margaret at Justin's house. This was my first time meeting Margaret and I have to say, I approve. She's really really nice. Very easy to talk to. I feel so bad for her because she's not going to get to see Sergio for a year. That would be soooo hard on any relationship. But they've spent most of their dating and engagement long distance, so maybe they're used to it.

We didn't get to spend much time with them that night, but the next day, my birthday, we went to Sergio's farewell ceremony, and then to a picnic afterwards. We got to see Sergio march, then we got to see "the barracks" where he slept, and the best part of all...we got to see everyone saluting him. It was hilarious to see that everyone who walked by him saluted him. He walked into a room and everyone stood at attention. It was cracking me up. I was like, ahhhh, now I see why you left the air force for the army. To be a big shot. hahaha.

At the picnic we got to hang out with Sergio for awhile and talk to him a little. He said he was just ready to leave. I would be so scared. I know Kuwait is safe and whatever, but still...leaving everything I know for a whole year...that would be really hard. And he's going to have such limited contact with the outside world. It's going to be hard. As I write this, I can't help but think of missionaries, and the fact that even though, fingers crossed, my boys won't be military boys, they'll still leave home for a mission. That'll be hard. (Trying to set a record for saying that phrase as many times as possible in one post.)

After the picnic, we went bowling with Sergio and Margaret. At one point, I almost started crying because Sergio and David were both playing with Marcelito and giving him kisses. It was soooo weird to have both of my brothers there, with my babies. And it was sad to think that I really don't know when that will happen again. Sergio will be gone for a year, and who knows when David will be back here to visit. I miss those boys a lot. Why couldn't they be little cowards like me and stay close to home? (Okay okay, I didn't stay home because I was scared. I stayed home because Marcelo refuses to move. But NOW, I'm scared to move away.)

In case you're wondering, my dad won the bowling game. David and Sergio were a close second and third. And then me! I got a 79. I'm not very good. After we were done playing, we all went outside, took a few more pictures, and said our goodbyes. It was so freaking sad. That's the only way I can say it. I'm going to be a nice sister and send lots of care packages and letters.

This is already super long, but I just want to write about one more thing. The flight home. I was so scared that Diego was going to be a handful and get bored a lot faster. But this is how it went down. We got on the plane, Diego started asking for a drink. I couldn't get him a drink because we were taking off. As soon as I saw the flight attendant start getting drinks, I pressed my little button so he would come and give Diego some juice. Well, being the man that he was and not understanding in the slightest what it's like to try to keep a 2 year old happy on an airplane, he was like, "We'll be coming around for drink orders momentarily." I was like, we're sitting in the LAST row. I can get up and get the drink myself. The drinks were seriously a half step away from my seat. But no. We had to wait. As soon as Diego drank his juice, he was knocked out. He and Marcelito slept the whoooooooooooole flight. Landing and everything. It was bliss. My mom and I chatted the whole 3 hours. :)

And that was our trip to Texas. I'm glad to be home with my sweet hubby.

Bye Bye Tato Beto, Tata Ceci

My grandparents left. They were here for over a month and I got to spend almost every day with them. I love them! My grandma is so talented and can teach me so much. And my grandpa and I have a special connection that we've had since I was 8 months old. (Seriously, I've been told the story many times. He was the only one who could get me to stop crying one day, and we formed a bond that has now lasted 24 years.) He's the sweetest man in the world.

Diego calls my parents Tato and Tata. It's his way of trying to say Abuelito and Abuelita. He made it up, but the funny thing is that it is actually a nickname for grandparents in Colombia. Anyway, he decided to call my grandparents, who's names are Humberto and Cecilia, Tato Beto and Tata Ceci. It was very cute. He loved my grandparents. It was wonderful to see my grandpa interact with Diego. He played with him outside every single day. It should be noted that my grandpa is going to be 80 this year, and has had two by-pass surgeries. But that didn't stop him from being outside kicking a ball around and walking to the train tracks with Diego. Diego adopted my poor grandpa as his new favorite toy. If my grandpa tried to go back inside the house, Diego would grab his legs and say, "No Tato Beto! This way. Aqui! (Here.)" My grandma made him soups, which he loved, and showered him with kisses, which he didn't really love, lol. He was too busy to stand still for kisses. Diego learned a ton more Spanish while they were here, so I've now made it a goal to talk to him in Spanish more. I'm terrible at talking to him in Spanish. I need to just make myself do it at least a little bit everyday.

Three funny things he learned from my grandparents:

• They drink coffee everyday. They call it "Tinto." He learned that word pretty fast. My grandma would come outside with the coffee cup for my grandpa and Diego would say, "Tato Beto's tinto!"


• My grandpa always says, "Mucho lo bueno" after he eats dinner. Diego learned to say that. "Muto bueno"


• My grandma called him "Chino" so he now relates that word to her. He says, "Tata Ceci, chino."

Besides seeing my babies interact with my grandparents, the most special part of the trip was the fact that my grandparents took the discussions while they were here. I admit, I am a terrrrrrible missionary. I've only talked to one person about the church in my life, and we all know how that worked out. (He got baptized, turned crazy, and became a Catholic priest.) I wasn't sure how my grandparents would take it, and I was sooo afraid to bring it up, but one day (thanks to the great motivation that my brother gave me) I worked up the courage and talked to my grandpa. I told him that the Church was a huuuuge part of my life and that it was very important to me and that I loved him and my grandma and that I would hate for them to leave without learning what it is that makes me ME. I said that I would love it if they would just listen to the missionaries, just to learn what I believe. And he gladly accepted! My grandma was okay with it, too! So the missionaries came over and we had some nice discussions. We watched The Restoration, and The Testaments. My grandpa agreed to read The Book of Mormon. I'm sooo happy that he's going to read it. He said he didn't want to get baptized, but I already knew that would be the case. All I care about is that he and my grandma left with a better understanding of what I believe. I'm so glad I got to share that with them! They mean so much to me, so it was really great. I cried so much when I said goodbye to them.

And now Diego has been asking for them for the last 3 days. "Tato Beto? Tata Ceci?" I have to say, "They left on an airplane, remember?" To which he replies, "Bye bye Tato Beto, Tata Ceci." :(

My Abuelitos Are Here!

My grandparents are here! They came to visit from Colombia! The last time they came was a year ago, for my dad's 50th birthday cruise.

Diego warmed up to them really quickly. He's already playing with them and not worrying about whether or not I'm in the room. We're going to go over there everyday, or at least as much as we can, so Diego is going to love it. And I am too!

I was totally shocked that my grandma surprised me with a beautiful cross-stitching of some cute animals for Marcelito's room! It's gorgeous! I did not expect it at all, so it was a wonderful surprise! I teared up a little because I was so touched that she spent so much time and energy to make it for him. It has his name and his birth stats. I absolutely love it. And I love her! She's so talented in so many ways. She brought so many beautiful things for us. She got the boys some really cute sweaters. I'll have to take pictures of them wearing them.

I'm excited that I'm going to get to spend so much time with my grandparents because I don't have a lot of other things going on that will take my time away. So I'm going to go as much as possible so we can chat, and go out, and just enjoy all the grandparent time I can! And I know Diego is going to have so much fun.

Nita's Trip

My aunt Dianita came to visit from NY! I hadn't seen her since my wedding 4.5 years ago. She's so cute! I love her. This was her first time meeting my boys, and by the end of the trip, I was quite afraid she was going to steal them. Or at least Marcelito. She pretty much held him the whole time she was here, and he loved every minute of it. :) And his mommy enjoyed the break!

While she was here, we went to Old Town, Disney Village, and the Rainforest Cafe. We had lots of fun and there were lots of photo ops, so here's my favorites. They're mostly of Diego because Celo slept through all the fun stuff, lol.

And here's one of the boys on New Year's Eve. I'm not posting a family shot because I hate how my hair looks in the pic. Call me vain.

Diego loooooved Dianita. He called her "Nita." She already left, but he's still asking for her. And Celo, well, he wishes I would hold him as much as she did!

I hope it's not too long before we get to see her again. We'll have to plan a trip to NY!!